Hosiery drier



C 31, 1944 c. T. GRIFFITH Erm. v 2,351,838

HOSIERY DRIER Filed Feb. 25, 194s 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. T. GRIFFITH Er-AL Oct. 31, 1944.l

Hosmw mmm Eiledreb. 25, 1945 6 sheets-sheet 2 Oct.- 3l', 1944.

,C. T. GRIFFITH ETAL HosIERY DRIER Filed Feb. 25,' 1945 6 `Sheena-Sheet 3 Oct. 31, 1944.

c. T. GRIFFITH :TAL

HosIERY mmm Filed Feb. 25, 194sl 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 3l, 1944. c. T. GRlFFrrH Erm. 2,351,338

HOSIERY DRIERl Filed Feb. 2:5.A 194s e sheets-sheet 5 Patented Oct. 31, 1944 2,361,838 ICE HOSIEBY DRIER Charles, T. Griffith and Gustav` H. Gebhardt,

Philadelphia, Pleasantville, Schwartz,

Incorporated corporation of Pennsylv Pa., and Raymond P. Helder,` N. J., assignors to Proctor and Philadelphia, Pa., a ania Application February 25, 1943, Serial No. 477,152

17 Claims.

This inventionrelates to devices` for treating hosiery onvforms, e. for drying hosiery, in general, as a final step in the finishing process, or for preboarding, as a prerequisite to the final finishing of nylon stockings, and the like.

The present` invention more particularly relates to a hosiery treating device of the low cabinet or table-and-drawer type, such as that disclosed in the present States Lette-rs Patent No. 1,552,312J issued Septomber 1st, 1925, to Frederick Kershaw and Alpheus O. Hurxthal.

More specifically, the present invention relates to mechanism for operating and controlling a series of hosieryforms in each vof the drawers assignees prior United of the cabinet, whereby, as each drawer is withdrawn to a predetermined open position'relative to the cabinet, the forms therein may be raised en masse from a horizontal position, occupied during the treating of the hosiery on the` forms, to a vertical position, for stripping and reloading by the operator.

In the general manner of the aforesaid prior patent, the front of be swung from a vertical plane, which it normally occupies when the drawer is closed, to a substantially horizontal plane, which the front of the drawer assumes when the drawer is open. In the present instance, the swinging movement of the front of the drawer to` the `aforesaid horizontal position is utilized to effect the aforesaid each drawer is adapted tov change of position ofthe forms with respect to the drawer.

Another feature of the invention resides in the. provision of independent controlling mechanism Another feature resides in the provision of mechanism bywhich the clamps of all of the forms in a single drawer are automatically opened when the drawer is opened to its fullest extent, prior to the swinging of the front of the drawer from its normalvertical position to its horizontal position to raise the forms from their horizontal drying positions to their vertical stripping and loading positions. h

Another feature resides in the provision of means for releasing the clamp-opening means,

the Cabinet fuuy the line 2-2, Fig. 1, at one side of the drawer, y

with the drawer in its fully closed position; f

Fig.` 3 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 2 with the section taken substantially in the plane of one of` the stockings conned within the drawer, as for example on-the line 3-`3, Fig. 7

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 4M4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar t0 Fig. 2, with the drawer fully opened;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the drawer open and the stocking forms in Vertical stripping and loading position;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 'l-1, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 8 8, Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 9-9, Fig. 6;

Fig. 10l is a sectional elevation taken on the line |0-|ll, Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view taken on the linell-II, Fig. 6;

Fig. l2 is` a fragmentary perspective view of the locking mechanism for the front of the drawer;

Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of the lock shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the controlling bar for the drawer lock shown in Figs. 12 and 13,' and Fig; 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stocking clamp operating mechanism.

Insofar as the present invention is concerned, the cabinet l may be of any suitable construction to provide drawer space 2 for` the reception of one or more drawer units 3, each of which is provided with a front panel 4' for closing an opening 5 in the front wall 6 of the cabinet, in which, and the associated drawer space 2, the

" drawer unit 3 is adapted to slide horizontally.

As shown in the drawings, the lower part of the drawer space 2 is provided with laterally spaced fixed rails l, 'l on which the drawer unit 3 is adapted to slide.

The drawer unit 3 comprises a primary frame 8 and a secondary frame. 9, forming a telescoping structure, with the door or front panel 4 pivoted to the forward end of the secondary frame 9 at a point I spaced vertically abovethe plane of the telescoping frame 8 9, and above or inwardly from the lower or back edge of the front panel 4 of the drawer.

The stationary rails 1, 1 are provided with antifriction rollers II on which the primary frame 8 rolls; and the primary frame 8 is provided with anti-tilting rollers I2 which bear against the undersides of the xed rails 1, 1 to prevent the drawer from tilting when open.

'I he primary frame 8 is also provided with a stop I3 which is adapted to engage the rear face I4 of the framework of opening 5 in the front wall of the cabinet, to prevent the drawer from being accidentally withdrawn, completely, from the cabinet I.

The' primary frame 8 is provided with cross shafts or rods I5a supporting antiiriction rollers I5 on which the secondary frame 9 rides during relative movement between the two frames of the telescoping structure, when the drawer is being opend and closed; and the primary frame 8 is provided with anti-tilting rollers I6 which prevent the secondary frame 9 from tilting relative to the primary frame 8 when the telescoping structure 8`9 is fully extended, when the drawer is open.

A hooked stop 8a carried by the primary frame 8 and engageable with a rear cross bar 9a of the secondary frame 9 prevents relative separation of the two frames when the telescoping structure 8-9 is fully extended.

The rod I0, on which the front panel 4 is pivoted, is carried by a pair of brackets I1, I1 which are secured to the front end of the secondary frame 9, and this rod supports a pair of brackets I9, I8 which are secured to the front panel 4 and provide the pivotal support therefor.

The front panel 4 is normally held in its vertical position by a locking bolt or pin I9, which is slidably mounted in a bearing secured to the bracket I1 on one side of the secondary frame 9, and projects into a keeper opening 2l formed in the adjacently disposed panel bracket I8, as shown in detail in Fig. 13.

The locking pin I9 is adapted to be automatically withdrawn from the keeper 2|, when the drawer 3 is pulled out to its maximum extent, by a telescoping release rod 22 which has one section 22a slidably mounted in bearings 23 and 24 secured to the secondary frame 9, and a section 22h slidably mounted in the bearing 24 and on a stud 25 projecting from one of the brackets I1, through an elongated slot 26 formed in the section 22D.

The forward end of the rod section 22h is provided with a hook 21 which engages an arm 28 on the outer end of the locking pin I9 and rotates said pin in its bearing 20, during the last of the movement of the drawer 3 to its extreme open position.

The arm 28, in rotating about the axis of the locking pin I9 engages a cam 29 formed on the outside of the bearing 20, which pulls the pin I9 out of the keeper opening 2I against the action of a spring 30 housed in the barrel of the bearing 20.

To effect the necessary pull on the rod section 22h to eiect rotation of the arm 28, the rear end of the section 22h is provided with a shoulder 3I which engages a shoulder 32 on the forward end of the section 22a, and the rear end of the section 22a is provided with a shoulder 33 which engages it to drop by gravity, about the pivot rod framework of the drier 2 in which the drawer 3 a fixed stop 34 on the within the drawer space slides.

When the drawer 3 is released, after being pulled out to its fullest extent, and the front panel 4 is moved from its vertical to its horizontal position, a spring 35 retracts the secondary frame 9 relative to the primary frame 8, while the telescoping rod 22 remains in its fully extended position; and a lug 21a on the rod section 22hy spaced rearwardly from the hook 21, engages the arm 28 and turns the pin I9 to its original position ready to enter the keeper opening 2l when the front panel 4 is reestablished in its vertical position, for locking the front panel in said vertical position.

The pivot rod I9, which pivotally connects the front panel 4 to the secondary frame 9, also pivotally supports a series of form carriers 36, 36, to which a series of forms 31, 31 are respectively secured by bolts 38, 38.

Each of the carriers 36 is provided with a locking stud 39 which normally is disposed in a slot 40 formed in a locking and tripping latch 4I pivotally mounted at 42 on the front panel 4. which normally maintains the form 31 in a position substantially perpendicular to the plane of the front panel 4, whether the front panel is in its vertical or its horizontal position. l

As the drawer 3 is opened to its fullestextent and the front panel 4 is unlocked and swung from its vertical position to its horizontal position, the latches 4 I, 4I cause the forms 31, 31 to move from their normal horizontal positions in the drawer, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, to vertical stripping and reloading positions, as shown in Fig. 6.

As each form 31 is stripped of a treated stocking and a non-treated stocking is placed on the form, the operator presses on the finger pad 4Ia of the'latch 4I associated with that particular form. This causes a cam surface 43 in the slot 'of the latch 4I,to engage the stud 39 and tip the form until its center of gravity passes to one side of the axis of the pivot rod I0, whereupon the weight of the overbalanced form 31 will cause I9, into its horizontal position.

Free falling of the toppling form is checked and the form lowered gently by a piston 44 operating in a cylinder 45 having one end pivotally connected to the front panel 4, at 45. The piston 44 is attached to the inner end of 'a rod 41, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected at 48 to one end of a link 49, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected at 5I! to the form carrier 36 at one side of the pivot rod I9.

The link 49 operates between fixed abutments 5I and 52 on the carrier 36, to provide a certain amount of lost motion between the link and the carrier, to avoid the necessity for manually tipping the form 31 against the air trapped in the cylinder 45 between the head 53 thereof and the piston 44. An opening 54 in the wall of the cylinder permits this trapped air to bleed out gradually as the form moves from its vertical to its horizontal position, with the cylinder functioning as a dash pot to check the initial rapid downward movement of the form.

The form is stopped in its final horizontal position, by the leading edge 55 of the carrier 36 coming into contact with an adjustable abutment 55 carried by the secondary frame 9, as shown in Fig. 3, at the same time, if desired, as the heel of the form 31, with a stocking thereon, comes to rest against a transverse padded bar 51 which has its opposite ends respectively mounted in acercas notches Bilrormed in racksV slcarri'edbythesecondary' frame 9i. Theibar: 55| isi-adjustable along thei length ot the` forms for. different sizes of womensl or oh'il'drensstocking.- or mens` socks;

As each; form. approaches its; final horizontal. position. it` passesu betweendivergent jaws- 60a; Wa (Fig. 8lV of." ahold-down: clamp" 8.0i; Asi the formv 31 yfinally comes tolV resti in its horizontal position an a'djustablelugiet (Fig.Y 6l Olathe-car rier 36 automatically trips acatch 62 ('liig.'U 151) which holds the jaws: 68a, lldinzthei-r openaposi-A tion, whereupony aw spring 63E operating. asliding box camy (i4-closes the jaws 60a; SlmI and holdsthem firmly against the'oppositer faces of. the form 31;, Withf thel fabric of thestocltingfv adjacent the open end'. thereof rmlyg-rippe'cli between. saidja-ws and saidform..

Asfshown inv Figs.` V9 and. 1G', the-jaws lilla;` 60a, are eachl provided with anarm 65 havinglateral trunnions 63 mounted@ in bearings 61,. 61 formedy partly by a crossbar''of the secondary frame 9, and partly `by ,blocksfllll 69 secured. to saidv bar;

The arms 65;.. 65 proiect upwardly through.` the openT center 1li` of= the box. cam. 64...'Lhe box. cam: 641isprovided. with convergentedgesf 11|-,Y 1 I which, as the cam? moves relative to the clamps, bea-r against the outsides of` thef arms 65, 6.5r of the jaws 60a, 60a, abovetheir' trunnions 66, 66,. and close andlock the jaws rmly against the. form 3.1.

The boxy cam 64isslidably mountedrfor movement'` in. the direction. of. 'the length. or the tele.- scoping structurer 8-9 ina guide. block 12 secured to the bar Gil-of. the frame 9'., The spring 63, having. one end securedlto, thecam 64 andy its opposite end secured' to the frame 9,. moves. the cam 64 in its jaw-closing direction when the catch 62 is' trippedby" the descending form, and. releases the cam 6'4'.

The cam B4 is'rnov'ed'A in itsY opposite direction.. to release the jaws 60a; 60o, byA a hook 14 which engages one'ofthe roller rods f5a of the anti-fric tion rollers l5 onl the frame 9, and' which extends transversely of and is secured at' its opposite endsV respectively to the frame 3; As the drawer 3l is-movedto itsextreme open position', the hooks T41 slide the cams E4' longitudinally, causing the jaws 68a; 60a associated with each form 31" the' drawer to be opened', andthe catches 62, Gl? to be reset', whereby the forms 31, 31 maybe raised to their vertical' 4h. 41|, in the swinging ofthe front panel 4 from its vertical toits' horizontal position, as previ'- ously described.. l

The actual opening oil the jaws 5.0m, 50a, is effected by bow springsy 65a-, 65av positioned; bei tween theA clamp arms 65 6-5, as-Lshown in Fig. 9.

When the drawer 3 is released, after opening, the. spring 35' retracts the drawer slightly, to release the hooks 14, 14. from. the rod |.5a,.to permit the cams 64 to be independently operated by their springs 63, 63 as each form 31 moves separately from its vertical' stripping, position tov its, horizontal position, as previously noted?.

The front panel' 4 is locked in its horizontal position by a pair'of` bolts 80, 80" (Fig. 1'1) which are slidably mounted in bearings 8|, 8l secured to the inside of' the` panel' 4. The outer ends of thev bolts 80, 8U are adapted to engage the opposite side ba-rsfof` the secondary frame 91. The inner ends of the bolts 80, 8D are connected at 82, 82, to the opposite ends of a lever 83.

The lever' 83 is xed to the inner end of a shaft 84 which isrotatably mounted in a bearing 85 secured to the front panel 4. On the outer end racksV 59? for. accommodating* positions by the latches l `oted at 9i adjacent `one o1` the'` shaft:y 84 is an arm 86 to.` which is pivotally connected one end of a'. linl'r` 81. The opposite end: off the 1ink`81 is pivotally connected to one endi of alever 88;

The` lever 88 is mounted ina slot 83 formed in the handle-Silll of the door, with the lever 88 pivend of the handle.

Asthe operator grasps the handle 90, to swing the front panel 4 from its horizontal to its vertical` position, he inherently squeezes the lever 88 in his.` grasp and-rocks the lever 88 about its pivot. Rocking of` the lever' 88` releases the bolts 80, 8l)V from the frame' Sgthus permitting the panel 4 to befrocked about the axis of the pivot rod I0 from its' horizontal to its' vertical position, and as the panel assumes itsvertical` position the locking pin t9V entersthekeeper opening 2l and holds the panel 4'- in its vertical position.

After all the forms 31, 31 in the drawer have been lowered to their horizontal positions, while the front panel 4 remains in its horizontal' position, and the panel 4' is then moved toits vertical position, the latches 4|-, 4l which were complete- Iy 'disconnected from the' studs 39, 39 on the carf riers 36', in order tov permit the forms 31 to fall.

become' reengaged withv the studs 39, 39, so that theforms 31 willaganlbe raised when the front panel 4 is subsequently moved from its vertical to its horizontalposition.

l. The-combination of a stocking form, a pivot forsaidl form, means for holding said form in a vertical position, means for tilting said form to fall'. by gravity to a horizontal position about said pivot,V means for controlling the speed of travel of said.. form during said" falling thereof, and means affording predetermined lost motion between said form and said speed controlling means duringinitiall tilting of the form.

2". The combination or a stocking form. a pivot for said?` form, releasable means for holding said form in a vertical position, said form being adapted!` to fall'` by gravity to a horizontal position about said pivot, and means-for controlling the speed" of, travel oi said form during said falling thereof. compris-ing a piston and rod operating in a uid-trapping cylinder, a linkpivotally connected` to said. rod: and said form, and a pair of abutments in lixed relation to said form at opposite sides respectively of said link for engagement with said link to` afford lost motion between saidI fall-controlling means and said form during initial movement ofthe form from said vertical position.

3". The combination of a pivoted stocking form, apivotecl base, parallel pivots for said form and basel respectively, means for holding said form in predetermined relation to said base, means for holding said base in a predetermined position with said form extendingvertically, and means for tipping said form to fall by gravity into a horizontal position.

4. The combination of a stocking form, a pivot for said form, a pivoted base, means. pivoted to said base in spacedrelation to the pivot of said form' fory holding. said form in predetermined rel lation' to said base,` means for holding said base in al predetermined position with said form extending vertically, and means for tippingr said form to fall by gravityr into a horizontal position.

5. The combination of a pvoted stocking form, a pivoted base, meansfor holding said form in predetermined relation to said base, means for holdingsaid base in a predetermined position with said form extending vertically, and means form* ing part of said holding means for tipping said form to fall by gravity into a horizontal position.

6. The combination of a stocking form, a base, a common pivot for said form and said base, a latch pivoted to said base in spaced relation to said common pivot for holding said form in predetermined relation to said base as said base is swung about said common pivot from one to another of two different positions.

'7. The combination of a stocking form, a base, a common pivot for said form and said base, a latch pivoted to said base and engageable with said form in spaced relation to said common pivot for holding said form in predetermined relation to said base during pivotal movement of said base adapted to bring said form into a vertical position, and means forming part of said'latch for tipping said form to fall by gravity into a horizontal position.

8. The combination of a stocking form, a base. a common pivot for said form and said base, a latch pivoted to said base in spaced relation to said common pivot for holding said form in predetermined relation to said base during pivotal movement of said base and said form about said common pivot to bring said form into a vertical position, means for tipping said form to fall by gravity into a horizontal position, and means for controlling the speed of descent of said form.

9. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, a stocking form pivotally mounted on saidframe, means for holding said form in substantially perpendicular relation to said panel, and means for swinging said panel from said right angle position to a position substantially parallel to said frame.

l0. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, a stocking form pivotally mounted on said frame, means for holding said form in substantially perpendicular relation to said panel, means for swinging said panel from said right angle position to a position substantially parallel to said frame to position said for'm in substantially vertical relation to said frame and means for tilting said form to fall by gravity to a substantially horizontal position on said frame.

ll. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, means for locking said panel in said position relative to said frame, a stocking form connected to said panel, means responsive to horizontal movement of4 said frame in one direction for releasing said panel-locking means, and means for swinging said panel and form about the pivot of said panel to change the position of said form from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position relative to said frame.

12. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, means for locking said panel in said position relative to said frame, a stocking form connected to said panel, means responsive to horizontal movement of said frame in one direction for releasing said panel-locking means, means for swinging said panel about its pivot into a substantially horizontal position with said form in a substantially vertical position, and means for locking said panel in said horizontal position.

13. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, a stocking form pivotally mounted on said frame, means for holding said form' in substantially perpendicular relation to said panel, means for swinging said panel on its pivot into a substantially horizontal position with said form in a substantially vertical position, means for locking said panel in said horizontal position, and means for tilting said form to fall by gravity into a substantially horizontal position.

14. The combination of a horizontally slidable frame, a front panel pivoted to and normally disposed substantially at right angles to said frame, a stocking form pivotally mounted on said frame, means for holding said form in substantially perpendicular relation to said panel, means for swinging said panel on its pivot into a substantially horizontal position with said form in a substantially vertical position, means for locking said panel in said horizontal position, means for tilting said form to fall by gravity into a'substantially horizontal position, and means formingpart of the panel-swinging means for releasing said panel-looking means preparatory to returning said panel to its first said position.

15. The combination of a substantially nat form, a pivot for said form, a pair of upwardly diverging jaws spaced horizontally from said pivot, said form being movable about said pivot from a substantially Vertical position to a substantially horizontal position in a plane intermediate said jaws, and means responsive to said movement of Said form for closing said jaws against the opposite flat faces respectively of said form.

16. The combination of a substantially flat form, a pivot for said form, a pair of upwardly diverging jaws spaced horizontally from said pivot, said form being movable about said pivot from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal position in a plane intermediate said jaws, a spring-loaded element for closing said jaws against the opposite at faces respectively of said form, and a catch for holding said spring-loaded element inactive with said jaws in said diverging positions, said catch being operable by said form during said movement thereof for releasing said spring-loaded element to eiTect said closing of said jaws when said form attains said horizontal position.

17, The combination of a horizontally movable frame, a substantially ilat stocking form pivotally mounted on said frame for movement from a substantially horizontal vposition to a substantially vertical position and vice versa, a pair of upwardly diverging jawson Said frame in horizontally spaced relation to the pivot of said form to close into flat contact with the opposite flat faces respectively of said form, a spring-loaded element for closing said jaws, a catch for holding said jaws open, and means responsive to movement of said frame in one direction for actuating said spring-loaded element to afford opening of said jaws to release said form and to set said catch, said catch being releasable by said form during its movement about its pivot from said vertical position tc said horizontal position for eiecting closing of said jaws by said springloaded element.

CHARLES T. GRIFFITH. GUSTAV H. GEBHARDT. RAYMOND P. HELDER. 

